In the field of diagnostic testing of biological fluids for the presence of drugs, viral disease, bacterial infections, and the like, samples are collected, reacted with reagents, and the results of the reactions analyzed using well-known techniques. The reagents used in such tests are typically purchased in and drawn from vials or other containers which are often arranged for convenience in pre-formed packs having a plurality of such vials containing the reagents required for a specific test. For economy and practicality, each vial typically contains an aliquot of reagent sufficient to test a number of samples. Such a reagent pack is described in the co-pending application Ser. No. 047,737 entitled Reagent Pack and Carousel filed in the name of Walter Jordan on May 8, 1987, and commonly assigned herewith.
A problem with such "multiple dose" reagent packs is that once opened, the reagents may become contaminated. For example, the properties of certain reagents may be affected by exposure to light or air, the passage of time or exposure to other reagents or contaminants.
The vials of such packs could be individually reclosed using individual screw on or other closures typically provided with such vials. However, such individual closures can be misplaced or lost when separated from their vials. In addition, it is time consuming and inconvenient to individually open and reclose each vial of a pack with a separate closure, particularly in an automatic testing environment where test set-up time and the time between tests can have a critical impact on throughput.
Thus, a need exists for a vial seal apparatus that provides expedient, economical and safe re-sealing of multiple dose reagent vials, once opened. A desirable feature of such an apparatus is to provide re-sealing of a group of vials arranged in a reagent pack. Another desirable feature is to provide an apparatus which minimizes contamination during handling and loss of the seal during the useful life of the reagents. It is advantageous to provide an apparatus that remains attached to, without interfering with, the vials of a reagent pack during use of the reagent pack in an automated clinical analyzer.